Sheffield United transfer news: Paul Heckingbottom provides an update on Will Osula

Earlier this month, the Blades manager took the decision to recall young striker Will Osula from a season-long loan at League One promotion chasers Derby County, chiefly due to a lack of game-time.

Osula netted five goals in all competitions for the Rams. He made 21 appearances in total for the club.

Osula's return to Bramall Lane put some other third-tier clubs on alert, including Oxford United and Burton Albion, with the teenager able to be loaned out again due to the fact that he has not featured at first-team level for the Blades this term.

As it stands, Osula is still serving a suspension after picking up a three-match ban after being dismissed 15 minutes after coming on as a sub in Derby's 4-0 win over Accrington in his final appearance for the East Midlands outfit on January 2.

A jaw injury sustained for United's under-21s earlier this week has also continued his difficult start to the new year.

Heckingbottom said: "He is suspended at the minute and then he's cup-tied. So there's nothing we can do. He got dragged to the floor the other night in the under-21s game, so we want to see how he is after that (injury).

"He's going to stay. We have not got the bodies to be letting people out at the minute."

Meanwhile, Heckingbottom has confirmed that defenders Ciaran Clark, George Baldock and Enda Stevens will all miss Friday's game with Hull City alongside John Fleck.

Better news has seen Oli McBurnie return to training after an ankle problem.

Clark, on a season-long loan from Newcastle, is troubled by a hamstring issue which saw him sidelined for the first few months of the campaign.

Baldock and Stevens both missed the weekend win over Stoke due to injuries picked up in training.

On McBurnie, Heckingbottom added: "Oli has power back and it feels like he can push off and that’s good and that’s what we want.

"But Rotherham was his last start and that’s when he did his ankle. We are aware of how much he has missed and how far behind he is and we need to keep building him up.

"Hopefully, we will be able to use him and get him contributing to picking up points, while we are getting him back to the levels he was at.”

Hull head coach Liam Rosenior has revealed that he is close to bringing in a new goalkeeping option on loan - although it is unlikely to be before Friday night’s game.

City are light of a senior keeper to fight it out with Matt Ingram following Nathan Baxter's return to parent club Chelsea due to ankle injury.

Rosenior said: "We're really close to an experienced goalkeeper and hopefully that will get done really soon. I don't think it will be done before the weekend.

"I am really excited about that one because it's the calibre that we want at the club, and it's the calibre of player who has been there and done it."